Actinidia deliciosa Plant Named &#39;Merle&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Actinidia deliciosa  cultivar named ‘MERLE’ is disclosed, characterized by having exceptionally long fruit, and a mid to late seasonal harvest time in New Zealand. Additionally, the new variety produces fruit with a distinctive weakly blunt, protruding stylar end shape. The new variety is suitable for commercial production of kiwi fruit.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Actinidia deliciosa

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘MERLE’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program under thedirection of the inventor, Donald Alfred Skelton, a citizen of NewZealand. The seed parent is the unpatented, known commercial varietyreferred to as Actinidia deliciosa ‘Gracie’. The pollen parent is theunpatented, proprietary seedling variety referred to as Actinidiadeliciosa ‘Blue’.

Fruit of the new variety was first evaluated in 2001 with favorableresults. After the first evaluation, semi-hardwood cuttings were made of‘MERLE’ and were grafted onto seedling rootstocks of A. deliciosa.Evaluation, asexual propagation and grafting all first took place at aresearch nursery in North Waikato, New Zealand. Subsequent evaluationsof the variety have shown the characteristics to be true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘MERLE’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘MERLE’ These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘MERLE’ as a new and distinct Actinidiadeliciosa cultivar:

1. Exceptionally long, obovate shaped fruit form

2. Early to mid-season flower set.

3. Heavy fruit weight, similar to the known variety ‘Hayward’.

4. Weakly blunt protruding stylar fruit end.

5. Light green fruit coloration.

6. Mid to late season fruit harvest.

7. Light green fruit coloration.

COMPARISON TO PARENT

Plants of the new cultivar ‘MERLE’ are similar to plants of the seedparent, Actinidia deliciosa ‘Gracie’ in most horticulturalcharacteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘MERLE’ produce.Additionally, ‘MERLE’ produces a different shaped fruit than ‘Gracie’.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘MERLE’ are similar to plants of the maleparent, Actinidia deliciosa ‘Blue’ in some horticulturalcharacteristics. However, as the sex expression of ‘Blue’ is male,plants of ‘Blue’ produce male flowers, whereas the sex expression of‘MERLE’ is female, and plants produce female flowers that in turndevelop into large fruit.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

The new variety is best compared to the commercial variety, ‘Hort16A,’U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,066. ‘MERLE’ is similar to ‘Hort16A’ in manyhorticultural characteristics, however, ‘MERLE’ produces mature fruitapproximately 2 weeks later in the season than ‘Hort16A’. Additionally,fruit of the new variety ‘MERLE’ are distinctively longer and moremissile shaped than fruits of ‘Hort16A.’ Fruit differences can also benoted in the weight. Fruit produced by plants of ‘MERLE’ are heavierthan fruits produced by ‘Hort16A’.

The new variety can be compared to the commercial variety, ‘Hayward’,unpatented. ‘MERLE’ is similar to ‘Hayward’ in many horticulturalcharacteristics, however, ‘MERLE’ produces mature fruit several weeksearlier in the season than ‘Hayward’. Additionally, fruit of the newvariety ‘MERLE’ are distinctively long, missile shaped whereas fruits of‘Hayward’ is typically broad and obovate. Additionally, ‘Merle’ has aninterior fruit coloration with a stronger yellow tone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color examplesof typical fruit harvested from ‘MERLE’. FIG. 2 illustrates in fullcolor typical foliage, hanging fruit and stems on plants of ‘MERLE’.FIG. 3 contains fruits of 4 known Actinidia varieties, illustrating thedistinct fruit shape of ‘Merle’. The photographs were taken usingconventional techniques and although colors may appear different fromactual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible byconventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2007 except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘MERLE’ plants grown outdoors under commercialtrial conditions in North Waikato, New Zealand. The growing temperatureranged from 10° C. to 30° C. during the day and −4° C. to 18° C. atnight. Annual rainfall is approximately 125 cm per year. Measurementsand numerical values represent an average of 10 typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Actinidia deliciosa ‘MERLE’-   Propagation: ‘MERLE’ can be successfully grafted onto rootstocks of    Actnidia deliciosa.-   Plant:    -   -   Age of the plant described.—Approximately 5 years.        -   Sex expression.—Female.        -   Ploidy.—Diploid.        -   Vigor.—Moderate.        -   Young shoot color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green N144B.        -   Young shoot texture.—Smooth, non-pubescent and no visible            lenticels.        -   Stem diameter.—Average 1.5 cm.        -   Stem texture.—Rough.        -   Trunk diameter.—Average 12 cm on a 5 year old plant.        -   Stem lenticels.—Irregularly spaced and sized. Oblong in            shape, color near RHS Grey-Green 191A.-   Foliage:-   Leaf:    -   -   Average length.—17 cm.        -   Average width.—16.5 cm.        -   Shape of blade.—Very broadly ovate.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Cordate, overlapping.        -   Attachment.—Petioled.        -   Margin.—Ciliate.        -   Texture of top surface.—Slightly puckered. Non-pubescent.        -   Texture of under side.—Non-pubescent.        -   Color.—Mature foliage upper side: Near RHS Green 143A.            Mature foliage under side: Near RHS Green 138B.        -   Petiole.—Length: Average length 12.5 cm. Pubescence: None.            Color: Upper Surface near RHS Green 143C, flushed Greyed-Red            178C. Lower surface near Greyed-Red 178D.-   Flower:    -   -   Flowers per inflorescence.—Normally 1, occasionally 3.        -   Bud color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 145A.        -   Bud break.—End of August.        -   First flower.—Early to mid season, pollinizer is ‘Derek’.        -   Diameter.—Average 6 cm.        -   Petal quantity.—6 to 10 per flower.        -   Petals overlapping.—Yes.        -   Color.—Near RHS White 155A.        -   Filament color.—Near RHS White 155A.        -   Anther color.—Near RHS Greyed-Orange 163D.        -   Attitude of styles.—Semi-erect.        -   Style color.—Near RHS White 155A.        -   Style quantity.—Average 18.        -   Hair on ovary.—dense.        -   Color of ovary.—Near RHS White 155A.        -   Number of sepals.—6 to 10.        -   Color of sepals.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 145A.        -   Sepal width.—Approximately 1 cm.        -   Sepal length.—Approximately 1.3 cm.        -   Sepal texture.—Smooth.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length.—Average 6.6 cm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 145A.        -   Texture.—Smooth.-   Fruit:    -   -   Color outer pericarp.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 145A.        -   Color inner pericarp.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 145B.        -   Core color.—Near RHS White 155A.        -   General shape.—Elongated obovate.        -   Median cross section.—Circular.        -   Stylar end shape.—Weakly blunt protruding.        -   Shoulder shape.—Sloped.        -   Calyx ring.—present.        -   Calyx ring expression.—Strong.        -   Skin color at harvest.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 152C.        -   Hair on fruit skin.—downy.        -   Hair adherence to skin.—moderate.        -   Skin adherence to flesh at maturity.—Moderate.        -   Fruit core shape.—Transversely elliptic.        -   Core-woody spike.—Small to medium.        -   Lenticels on fruit.—Minute, moderate in quantity, colored            near RHS Yellow-Green 152B.        -   Mature seed color.—black.        -   Dried seed.—brown.        -   Harvest time.—Medium to late season.-   Other characteristics:-   Storage life: Storage life is a minimum of 3 months at 2° C.-   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to    pathogens and pests common to Actinidia deliciosa have been    observed.-   Temperature tolerance: Tolerates low temperatures to approximately    −5° C. without negative effects, tolerates high temperatures to    approximately 35° C. without negative effects.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Actinidia deliciosa plant named ‘MERLE’ as herein illustrated and described. 